Departures and Arrivals
by jonesy-of-the-pages
Summary: Change is good. Change is needed. Moving from a small town in Washington to the Big Apple, Anthropologist Bella Swan gets herself in some very sticky situations. They say that murder can't lead to love, but could Bella Swan handle both? AH, dark themes, cannon couples, and nice dark dry senses of humor.
1. Prologue

Prologue

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." MLK Jr.

x\x\x\x

28 years of the same thing. 28 years of repetition from Sunday morning to Sunday night of the following week.

This town that no one has ever heard of, just like a tiny speck of dust on the map, in Washington State. Living in Forks has its advantages and disadvantage; suppose like any other city does. But as I get older, I always come up with more disadvantages than advantages. The people that live here are crude and judgmental, as the same phrase goes with my generation. My generation of people are a tad worse. The age old saying of, 'If you aren't like me, then I'm not going to associate with you and pretend you're nothing,' is playing in their minds. Possibly whispering it every second of their natural born life.

It's quite pathetic, says the person who doesn't have enough guts to leave. I will someday.

I compare myself to a pure, innocent white dove that's been caged in for hours upon hours for some magician to show others his trick. Once the magician shows the trick, the dove flutters out of his white glove cladded hands setting it free. It needs to be free, it needs to go back to its habitat. But it keeps coming back for more, letting the magician have all the power.

Changing myself from the white dove that keeps coming back, I'm not coming back.

I'm being set free from this life.

I'll start a new slate.

It'll replace the dove metaphor to the magician metaphor.

I finally have control of my life.

That was when my dreamland dissolved into past memories.

That was the day reality came crashing down into my world.

I'm Bella Swan and this is my story of darkness turning into light.


	2. Chapter 1

(A/N- Hi, yes um...I sorta forgot my email / password for my login and I had to create a new account and reposting this story, **so please don't send me hate ***but you can send reviews / follow this story, I'll love that* for plagiarism I swear I was book-of-pages!)

Chapter One

It has been a year and a half since I packed my things from the little rainy town of Forks and drove across the country to New York City. I haven't looked back at the past, even though the foggy memories sometimes pester into my mind, but I keep myself busy as much as possible before they could bother me.

Before my big move, I went to the University of Washington to study Anthropology. However, my love for crime along with forensics got the best of me causing me to change my field of study. I moved on to Forensic Anthropology furthermore increasing my chance to make something out of me.

'Why didn't you stay in Seattle if you hate it here so much?' my mother, Renee, always questioned me. She doesn't quite know this, but I fell in love as well as the consequence made the decision for me not to stay. So, like any other scared little girl, I ran off to my home to my mommy and daddy. I didn't put my degree to use, yet, I did help my dad around the Police station.

My father, Charlie, was devastated over the fact that I was going to leave, "It's for the best," I told him including myself frequently.

The last time I checked on them to make sure everything was still intact was approximately around Thanksgiving, which was four months ago. Yeah, defiantly not getting the 'Daughter of the Year' award.

x\x\x\x\x\

The day I arrived on New York soil I was so amazed, to me there was more advantages here than Forks. It was beautiful, the tall buildings surrounding me as I stared at them in awe, the air had this distinctive aura to it, the amounts of people that was crossing the streets, all of the shops that appear to be right there in a nice walking distance, the fact that a hot dog stand was around every corner; I was truly amazed. I still am to be honest with you, it's like an adventure that'll never end.

I put my résumé in different crime labs around the area, three months of not getting a job at any labs, my world came crashing down each time, nevertheless I didn't give up. Sure, working hard to get a degree in Forensic Anthropology was a difficult task however I completed that. Leaving Washington to New York, I had completed that, as well. I took my rose colored glasses off before and I can do it again.

Without a job, I needed to find a different one, sure I still put my résumé in every chance I got, though I still needed to pay rent. I worked 10 hours a day at the local library, of course the pay was terrible, but at least I had money to pay the rent so I wouldn't get kicked onto the streets.

Thankfully, I got a call from Johnny Crossings Crime Lab, they recently lost their previous Anthropologist and were counting their blessings when they saw that was my study. I took the job without blinking an eye plus the benefits were in my hand. Vacation breaks, insurance, along with making more than 30 dollars an hour, life was actually great for once. That was until my first day on the job. I didn't get that much respect that I have asked for, instead of going out in the field, I had to stay behind in the lab; taking everyone's lunch and drink orders. Instead of analyzing bones to find out what had happen, I had to file papers. Instead of putting murders away for life, I had to watch my colleagues do the things that I've dreamed of for years.

Of course, it hurt me each and every day that I walked into that lab. They were definitely not on the Welcoming committee and almost every day I had to fight back tears. Those days of doing nothing turned into weeks which in turn to months. Those months suddenly became years and before I knew it I've been doing nothing for about two and a half years.

x\x\x\x\x\x

I finally got a gigantic break when a new serial killer was above us. My previous colleagues was called away on a meeting, and once in my life at this lab, I was above grateful that they decided to leave me alone.

"Swan!" my boss's voice filled the lab, "I need you to head out with Agent McCarty." he told me, yanking his thumb behind him. I looked up from the ancient computer, trying my best to be nonchalant.

The fear in the pit of my stomach took control over the giddiness. The guy behind my boss was huge! My boss was standing at a pretty average height, maybe 5'11'' , I was naïve to think that he was tall, the guy behind him was at least 6'5''. His biceps bulge around his black t-shirt, reminding me of the Incredible Hulk. I stood up from my roller chair smoothing out my pants, I walked over to where they were, my eyes probably still wide-eyed, yet I couldn't take them off the guy. I instantly felt myself blush and broke the contact.

"Emmett McCarty," the titan said to me, raising his bulk of a hand. I raised my tiny one to his, his fingers wrapping around mine, a smile brought up to his face, giving me a glimpse of a dimple. His baby blue eyes were connected to my brown ones, it was like I knew that he is a gentle giant.

"Isabella Swan, but please call me Bella." I told him, his smile was contagious. I could feel myself smiling along with him, except he wasn't blushing as red as a tomato.

"Glad introductions are out of the way," my boss made known. If it was any possible my face got redder, Giant..err..Emmett, let out a howl of laughter. My boss, shook his head then continue on; ignoring Emmett. "As I was going to say, there's been a call that a pedestrian found a body at the corner of 39th street behind BooksGalore, you two need to go out there and figure out what's going on." he told us, walking away.

After he left us alone, my face was finally returning back to normal. That was until Giant opened his big pie-hole, "Were you playing Solitude?" he asked me, messing with my swivel chair.

"What's it to you," I retorted back, grabbing my bag from my desk. The one thing that I could say during the two and a half years of not doing anything, I was sort of grateful of having my own personal space.

"I'm pretty sure you were losing anyways," he grumbled back to me.

I rolled my eyes at him, causing him to stick his tongue out at me. Great, my first murder case and I'll be babysitting instead of tracking down psychopaths.

We finally arrived at the scene of the crime, Giant and I got out of his oversized Escalade. The both of us walked over to the scene, him lifting the yellow police tape with big bolded black lettering, 'DO NOT CROSS' it read. I'm crossing, I thought along with a giggle that escaped my mouth.

"Wow, Morticia, I would have never guess that you got off on crime scenes," Emmett remarked at my inappropriate giggle.

I shook my head, not even trying to redeem myself at the mistake. I took the scenery in. I squatted down, in a way that I was leveled to the carcass that once was a human being that had life in its eyes, not there was even eyeballs to look at the life that was once there.

I pulled out a pair of blue latex gloves out of my bag, strategically placing them on my hands. The body had been burnt very badly, from what type of fluids or why, I don't know. I knew for fact, however, that the cadaver was burnt alive. The post mortem was setting in and the fingers was set in this rigid form. Like the person was trying to claw themselves out of something.

I smiled widely to myself, my dream finally came through. Sorry you had to get murdered for it to come true though. I silently said to myself.

"Yo, Morticia, I'm going to go question the pedestrian, you'll be okay here?" Giant asked me, I nodded towards him, waving my hand to tell him to go. He chuckled at me, "Wipe that smile off your face, it looks creepy," I blushed once more.

Other than the police officer that stood in the opening of the alley way, another person was there with me. She was a tiny little thing. "Sorry about Emmett with his nicknames," she told me, holding up a chunk of what was to be part of muscle. The elf put it in a petri dish, wiping her hands on her jeans she stuck her hand out. "I'm Alice Brandon," she told me. "Bella Swan," I stated back. "Emmett doesn't bother me, he's more welcoming than the others," I told her.

"Give it a month."

I let out a laugh then continue on what I was suppose to be doing.

After Alice left with the body, I sighed, this is what it's going to be. I'm going to like it. I packed up my things, looking around just in case I missed anything when a paper caught my eye. Since I already threw my gloves away I took forceps out of the side of my bag gently picking up of the fragile looking thing.

Carefully, opening the folded rectangle there was elegant print written in perfect cursive. I couldn't make out what it said, so I stepped into a lighter area.

Eerily silence over head the area where I was standing at. I was the only person there at the scene, Emmett still questioning the potential suspect. I could hear the faint heartbeat in my ears, my hands trembling as I read the note out loud:

_"Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires."_

Shakespeare's very own Macbeth.

Okay, seriously, what are the odds of the dumping of the body was behind a random book store? I slid the note into an evidence bag, quickly finding Emmett before it got late.

The car ride back to the lab I was a bundle of nerves. It's been an exhausting day, my first real case, my first possible real friend at this lab, I found a clue, and not to mention I was hungry for something crispy.

We finally got back to the lab where I hauled myself to the morgue in search of my boney skeleton. I was too busy not paying attention to the surroundings next to me that once the elevator dinged I accidentally ran into a person.

x\x\x\x\x\x\x

"I'm so sorry," I chided to the person that I ran into.

"Yeah, watch where you're going next time then," a velvety voice snapped at me.

Before I could say any remark back he was gone, all I saw was some funky color hair with a white lab coat floating in the distance.

The elevator ride from the entrance to the morgue was short. I enter the chilly room, to find Alice working on it already.

"Hi, Alice." I casually said, getting suited up for the explanation of death for our mystery person.

"Bella," she warmly smiled at me.

"What do we know so far?" I asked her looking at the skeleton.

"Well, the obvious is that our Doe was burnt, alive or not, I'm not sure."

"The Doe was alive when they endure this kind of pain," I responded, "that would explain the rigid of their fingers from being bent." I took a closer look, "the fingernails, they look chipped and-"

"Overdone?" Alice suggested.

I laughed at that statement, but shook my head no. "They look worn out, like how someone would look from digging their way out of something."

Alice nodded and scrapped some residue from the thumb nail.

Bella let Alice be because the note that was in her pocket was weighing her down.

"Bella, before you leave can you do me a favor and drop these off to Cullen?" Alice asked me, her eyes pointing in the direction of samples from the body.

"Um, sure." I agreed and picked up the dishes careful not to drop any.

"Thanks!" she yelled after me, before the elevator doors closed shut.

I had no idea who Cullen was. I nervously asked the lady who was at the front desk, she told me that his lab was down the third wing hall, seventh door to the right.

I traveled down the hall counting the doors as I went by.

I knocked on the open door, and went in when I heard a faint ''come in".

Suddenly the little piece of paper that was in my pocket didn't weigh a hundred pounds anymore.

**A/N: Now entering Edward! Good? Bad? Terrible? Ugly? Made your eyes bleed into your skull? Please leave a review?**

**Thank you!**


	3. Chapter 2

**I Don't Own.**

**Chapter Two:**

"Cullen?" I reluctantly asked.

There was no answer, figuring he didn't hear me, I went inside the squeaky clean lab to put the evidence down on the table. I was about to put the cup of the victim's digestive food down when I heard the voice from the Heavens above, "And what do you think you're doing with evidence?" I slowly turned my attention to the voice that came from behind me, boy oh boy God was great with the genes in this man.

The guy, whom I presumed was Cullen, was tall along with being lanky plus a hint of awkwardness to his limbs. They seem to be like branches from trees that was struck down by lightning aside from having muscle, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and bones. His clothes were loose yet oh so fitting, his black slacks were probably pressed every night or the morning before work, my eyes traveled up to his torso, the way his green button up shirt hugged his body made me twinge with jealously. To top it off, the beige lab coat miraculously hanged down to his knees. In a small print sewn on the top right corner was his name; Edward Cullen, Toxicologist. His broad shoulders were perfect shown with the best posture any human being could muster, the way his neck went up made me think of a baby giraffe, his Adam's apple concaving to the marble sculpture of this beautiful creature. From the connecting of his neck and jaw, was this marvelous thing to me; it was like I could almost taste the saltiness from his skin, my mouth suddenly became dry because of this thought. His jaw bone was perfectly straight with the producing stubble forming, I could feel my fingers twitch of just wanting to touch the offending hair. His ruby red lips were set in a straight line, I bet they were beautiful whenever he smiles, but as seeing the situation he wasn't as likely as amused. His cheekbones were gracefully high together with his set in stone nose, you could clearly see the in the bridge area there was a bump; maybe he had a broken nose when he was a child. Even with the possibility of having a broken nose he still had the best bone structure I have ever seen.

My eyes traveled up his hair, it was like a tangled mess of bronze mixed with an auburn color, the chaotic mess made me want to run my fingers in the dense thickness at the top of his head to the part where it meets in the back of the neck. My fingernails ached for the touch of rubbing his scalp until his soft snores fell onto deaf ears. Next to his beautiful mess on his head, his eyes had this tent of glowing jade green. The almond shape eyes were glaring at me, although that wasn't the feature that caught my attention; the color captured me from the moment I made eye contact. They were so memorizing as I felt safe enough to tell him my deep, darkest secrets, even with the glare that scarred the beauty.

In hindsight this guy was the definition of Greek God.

"Before I call security, will you mind telling me why you are here?" The angle's liquid gold voice said upon to me.

I finally caught my breath that I was apparently holding, to say: "I'm Isabella Swan but please call me Bella, I'm in the anthropologist department, I came here to give you this to analyze..seeing that's your job." I held my hand out for him to shake.

It was no secret that I wanted his hand to somehow make skin to skin contact with me.

"Well, Isabella, you can leave now I have it under control. Shouldn't you be doing something like taking others drink orders or did you somehow moved up in your career to be handling bones and evidence?" He retorted, not even bothering to be polite by taking my hand.

I felt a twinge of sadness as he words shattered my good day. As before, I took my rose colored glasses off in the past, and I have no idea why I decided today along with looking at this guy's stunning appearance made me put them back on. That didn't make me hate Edward from the start, if not it made me hate myself more. Instead of being a barbarian, unlike this insignificant human being, I held my head up high and walked out of that lab like I owned this place.

x\x\x\x\x\x\

The note from the last crime scene was still burning a hole in my pocket. If this was a serial killer doings then they would leave or take things from the victim or the crime scene. Serial killers I.Q.'s are either below average or higher than average, but either way they get way too cocky and start to mess up despite their I.Q. If this way a clue to what the murderer may feel towards the victim or how the murderer thinks they are helping the world by getting rid of "bad" people. Take Charles Manson, for an example, in the late '60s Manson had finally got out of being behind bars for most of his life, once he had got out he discovered freedom, love, music, and most importantly psychedelic drugs. What a good start for someone who just got out of jail, right? In 1968, the Beatles _White Album _was released, with song track including "Helter Skelter." It was probably all the psychological issues of Manson's childhood to adulthood, or the possible chance of taking too much hippie drugs, but once he first listen to "Helter Skelter"( which is about a amusement park ride) he got the crazy idea of a prophecy about a race war; that meant he thought black people would raise up and finally kill all the white people, except of Mason and his crudely 'family', which in turn who would take over the world. To keep the 'race war' from happening, on August 9, 1969, Mason had got his followers to sacrifice a couple of white people. The 'family members' had broke into director's Roman Polanski home and brutally slaughtered his wife and actress, Sharon Tate, and four other people, the members had graffiti words with the victims' blood on to the wall. Eventually, Manson was caught and was put on Death Row, however, California had got rid of the Death Penalty still Manson has been incarnated since 1972.

If this was the case, then I would have to give this to Jasper Whitlock, the psychologist, to help solve a partial of the case before another murder could take place.

x\x\x\x\x\x

I arrived on the second floor, strolling out of the elevator I practically ran into Alice.

"Hey Alice, fancy meeting you here." I addressed.

Her face turn beat red along with a quick 'sorry.'

Before I could say anything else she ran into the elevators and the doors automatically shut concluding our one sided conversation.

I walked into Jasper's office and he was tidying up his desk.

"I found something," I announced, plopping down onto his comfy leather couch.

His head snapped up, his sky blue eyes almost popping out of their sockets along his cheeks were slowly turning into a pinkish color.

"Found something?" He spattered out.

I quirked an eyebrow at him, though he was a psychiatrist additionally being a really fantastic one at that, he seem uneasy.

"Are you okay?" I questioned him.

"Yeah, never better." His Texan drawl showed.

Jasper Whitlock was from a little town in Texas, his story was like mine, yet still different. He fell in love with a girl named Maria, they eloped within six months of dating each other and never looked back. On their two year wedding anniversary Jasper was working late with a patient, he didn't know it at the time but Maria was cheating on him with his colleague, Mike Newton, since they started to date. Jasper told me that once him and his patient got done with their session he went home to surprise his darling, he walked into their apartment and saw something that he wished he never seen. Mike and Maria were combined on the couch. He beat himself over it for months, he eventually got over it, that was until Mike dumped her and she came crawling back to Jasper. He wasn't as naïve as he was before, after he rejected Maria he closed his practice, picked his things up, and moved here to New York.

"Alice is good for you," I told him before slipping the note to him, telling him about the crime that occurred.

"If you look at the way s/he writes you can tell that they have a tremor, it's especially bad after the semicolon to the capitalized 'L' the way the pen was held came up because of the shake, which is why this blotch was formed.

'_Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires_.' you mentioned that the victim was burnt alive, correct? If this is a continuation pattern, the murderer may leave notes stating the obvious of the cause of death in Literature quotes."

Before Jasper could say anymore Emmett came running through telling me that we need to go to a different crime scene.

"I'll analyze this even further and if you find a different note, please bring it to me." Jasper said while I was walking out the door.

I nodded to him, but before the elevator doors closed I yelled out to him, "Don't have too much fun with Alice."

x\x\x\x\x\x\x

For the second time today, I was sitting in Emmett's glorified suburban.

"We're heading to Books of Wonder they found a body behind the ally way while taking the trash out." he said.

"Cool." I lamely replied.

\\

We arrived at the location and immediately got down to business. Behind Books of Wonder, the manager was there standing on the cement steps that lead back inside the store, his face was a ill stricken shade and I sort of felt sorry for him. Having to see a badly mutilated body and potential danger of his business.

I spotted Alice and walked over to where she was, the body was on the gurney, waiting for the body bag to be put in place. "So, what's up today?" I asked.

"Well, from the exterior you can see that they aren't burnt, whether they were alive or already dead from what they experienced I can't properly say. They've been dead for about two hours and was probably dumped here. I found this piece of paper in their mouth; there could be DNA on it from saliva probably. I can't get fingerprints because the prints were corroded off with acid possibly. I'm going back to the lab to do the autopsy, come with me." Alice sighed.

As she zipped the green body bag up she placed the gurney into the van, I strolled over to Emmett and told him that I was going back with Alice.

Alice and I sat in awkward silence before she broke the ice, "Bella, will you promise not to say anything about me being down there with Jasper?" her bottom lip quivered.

"What do you ever so mean," I told her, winking.

She let out a breath of relief.

\\

We shortly arrived to the lab, quickly setting up the tools for the autopsy we put the body onto the stainless examine table. We changed into our safety gear, Alice took her little black tape recorder out and pushed the big red record button; I stood beside her taking notes additionally.

Alice started her external examination and went through the check list; the height and weight of the victim was 5'7'' and 135 pounds. Like the previous victim, they were a female Jane Doe around the age of 26 years. Her fingers were blistered with some kind of acid and you could bluntly see the epidermis layer of skin. Luckily, we could get a partial fingerprint and hopefully we could run it through CODIS furthermore one step closer to get the identification of our victim along with finding out whom our murderer is.

Alice looked along the outer body and couldn't find any visible scaring along the feet, legs, hands, until she got to the inner arm.

"There's a tiny puncture in her inner elbow, probably caused by a needle," she stated and I wrote it down.

"Her eye sockets have experience some trauma, her eyes have been gouged out with some kind of rusty object, under her left eyelid there is some kind of metal substance," she took a cotton swab and plucked the substance into a container.

"From the bridge of her nose to the nostrils have been broken."

"Checking to see that the neck is still intact I will turn the head from left to right, as I did that I notice some significant damage in both ears. It seems that a blunt object has been jabbed into the ear, causing the eardrums to be punctured."

"I will begin to open the cadaver, by making an incision that's shaped as an U from the left shoulder to the sternum to the right shoulder finishing as the pubic bone." she said, as she took the scalpel and did as she told the recorder.

"I will then separate the skin and the tissues underneath the skin so that I could examine the internal body. I will then remove the front of the rib cage to expose the neck and chest organs." She did the exact thing she said she would do, and it was totally cool.

As Alice examines the body is tells me that the victim was addicted to hard narcotics, "the puncture wound of the inner elbow is probably from the needle that held the drugs, when I removed the heart she clearly had inflammation of the inner part of her heart. As I examined the lungs she recently had pneumonia as well."

"Her larynx has been slit with a sharp object alongside that is where we found the note."

When Alice was done with her procedure she closed the body up, she took her blood, urine, and stomach contains to the toxicologist lab to confirm the drug use.

"If I didn't know that this was murder then I would rule this as an overdose," she finally told the recorder.

x\x\x\x\

Inside the elevator I was headed down to see Jasper about the new note that was found in the victim's throat.

"_It cannot be seen, cannot be felt,_  
_Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt,_  
_It lies behind stars and under hills,_  
_And empty holes it fills,_  
_It comes first and follows after,_  
_Ends life kills laughter_."

I read it silently to myself twice and was going for a third time when the elevator doors opened, thinking I was on the correct floor I walked out, except I hit someone instead.

This is the third time today.

"I'm so sorry, I need to pay attention more often," I apologized profusely to the offending person I ran into.

"Yeah, maybe you should pay attention more often it might help you out with your job," a deep manly voice snapped at me.

He entered the elevator and just by the glare that he was giving me I could tell that I didn't want to meet him in an alley way at 2 o'clock in the morning. My mother told me not to judge a book by its cover, yet my instincts told me not to trust him.

He was about a foot taller than me with greasy choppy dirty blond hair that was tied up into a low ponytail by some kind of torn blue fabric. He smelt like stale Jack Daniels and cigarettes. The fact that he didn't use deodorant to mask up the stench he gave off applauded me.

I stood off to the side as far as I could also with my head straight looking at the slowly ticking numbers that went by to the second floor. The offending stranger turned himself at an angle like he was looking at me, I cursed myself that I didn't take out my ponytail while I was in the morgue.

He took a step closer to me, leaning down to my ear, his disgusting breath brushed my ear, I almost vomited all of my breakfast up just by that smell, "You know Princess," he started to say, while fingering one of my loose strands of hair, "instead of a word apology you could always give me something else," he hinted at.

Once his words left his STD infected mouth I started to unconscionably shake, twitching at how his words brought up an unnecessary memory. My head dropped lower, while his hand trembled down my shoulder.

Before he got his dirty paws on anything else, the adrenaline kicked in, I turned his hand around; winching at all the possible germs that are now on me, and looked him straight in his baby blue eyes: "Don't touch me," I seethed at him, before I kicked him in the groin.

What seem eternity but was only a few seconds the doors finally reached to the second floor, as I left the creepy stranger behind, I could faintly hear him mumble "you shouldn't have done that."

\\\

I practically ran to the closed wooden door of Jasper's office, the tears burnt my eyes threatening to betray me and run like a dam. I wouldn't let that happen, especially at work when there are potential other women in danger.

I took a deep breath and knocked on the door, just expecting Jasper to be there, three people were there; they all turned around and before I knew it I had eight eyes on me. My cheeks flushed from all the sudden attention. I recognized Agent McCarty, and Jasper, but also Edward was there and some beautiful bombshell blonde supermodel.

"Ahh, yes Bella glad you could join us," Jasper told me, gesturing to a seat.

I didn't sit down, since everyone was standing I felt the need to stand as well.

"Anyways, before the interruption," Edward said, eyeing me, "I found Diacetylmorphine in her system." He continued on, "the substance that was found under her eye lid was Iron Oxide."

"So, basically we're looking for someone who may be in the drug business that have tools with rust on them?" Emmett asked.

"The last victim didn't have any puncture wounds that indicated drug use or even drugs in her system, not even an aspirin." Edward groaned toward Emmett.

Emmett nonchalantly flipped Edward off which caused Jasper to roll his eyes at their child-play.

"If you two are done acting like three year olds," the blonde voiced to them, "I need some information to release to the press."

Before she could finish her sentence, Alice barged into the office with a manila folder, "The fingerprints from our latest victim just came back from CODIS, it turns out that she was in the system for being arrested in 2008, 2010, and 2011 for possession of drugs." Alice quickly said, putting the folder down on Jasper's mahogany desk.

"Her name is Jessica Stanley, and we're getting her closest relative to come up her to identify the body," Alice continued on, only looking at Jasper; which was weird seeing he was the Psychologist instead Emmett who was the agent of this case.

"What about the first victim?" The blonde asked.

"Her DNA wasn't in the system or missing person files, so I'm having the artist department to come up and do a sketch and once they get finished with the drawing I'll give it to you Rosalie and maybe someone will find her and we'll get a name."

The blonde, who was named Rosalie agreed with Alice and they soon two left.

"Bella, did the murderer leave another note?" Jasper suddenly asked, not waiting for a moment of silence to come over.

"Oh, yes, here, it's quite grotesque from the last one," I handed him the note and went to stand next to him.

"What notes?" Edward and Emmett simultaneously questioning us.

"The last two crime scenes the killer has left us notes, they have literary quotes on them possibly in a term from books to describe their deaths. They're written in some type of calligraphy pen, and I've also notice that they have a slight tremor when they write." Jasper told them the information.

"The last note was from Shakespeare's Macbeth, and this one is from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit.

_It cannot be seen, cannot be felt,_  
_Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt,_  
_It lies behind stars and under hills,_  
_And empty holes it fills,_  
_It comes first and follows after,_  
_Ends life kills laughter_." I read it again for the third time.

"If you can find out what kind of pen this is written in then we could figure out our choices of the suspects," Emmett said, walking out of the office.

I looked up to see that Edward had gone quiet and had a look on his face, "Are you okay?" I asked him.

"What's it to you?" He spat at me, suddenly walking out of the room, slamming the door.

x\x\x\x\x\

After Jasper and I got done analyzing the note I took the stairs back to my office, not wanting to take a chance in the elevators.

I got to the fourth floor to my office once I felt my phone vibrate, casually touching the screen I looked at the unknown number followed by the message they left: _Was he better than me?_

I dropped my phone onto the aluminum tile; the shaking going through my body once again and I could feel my knees getting weak. I dropped onto the cold floor, gathering myself up placing my arms around my knees, my breathing getting quicker. As the clear tears ruined my vision I tried to let a scream out but it seem like my mouth went dry like I've been out on a desert for 20 years.

My brain went clouded of the memories that flooded into my mind, his smile, his kind eyes, they all turned into the act of meanness, exactly like a light switch from turning a light room into darkness.

Exactly how my eyes turn into light as darkness surrounded me.


	4. Chapter 3

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed / fav / followed this story, thank you so very much! It makes me smile! So, let us try something different. I Don't Own**

**Chapter Three:**

**Edward's POV**

I didn't actually hate her, I swear, its just sometimes helps me to mask the grievances with rudeness. I'm actually a kind-hearted gentleman, I even helped her or tried to anyways.

I saw her crying in fetal position and the guilt that I had within me rose about 20 more points. I sighed, I couldn't let her stay like this so I did what I felt was best. I picked her up in my arms, she was so naturally beautiful. The way her chest rose with every breath she took, her rose color cheeks, her soft petal lips slightly parted. Her long, thick, curly hair was scrunched in her ponytail holder. Her wide eyes closed, the tears staining the deep purple color rings under her lids.

When the moment I first saw her, on the elevator, I felt this uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach, something that I couldn't quite explain; like it needed to be there but on the other hand it felt unwelcomed. Her round, big beautiful chocolate eyes was looking down at the objects she was holding, her head slightly tilted to the right. The elevator signal that the doors were open brought her out of the trance. I could have easily side stepped her, however I need the warm touch of this angelic creature. I purposely ran into her, the sight of her big eyes getting bigger along with the apologetic look in her eyes made the feeling tighter in my stomach.

She looked exactly like her.

With her in my arms, I looked around the dimly lit office trying to find her bag, after a minute or two I finally found it in her closet, I quickly grabbed it and left the Lab.

Out in the parking lot, the dead weight of her became unbearable for me to handle, thankfully my Volvo was just a few feet away from the front entrance. I unlocked the car and gently put Bella in the leather cladded seat, I safely buckled her in and closed the passenger door. With her purse still in my right hand, I could feel my man card slipping out of me, so I quickly disregarded it in the back seat. Not knowing where she lived and wanted to respect her private property I didn't look in her bag.

I started the car and got some heat circulating, hoping this would be a great idea I drove back to my place.

Twenty minutes later we arrived at my apartment complex, I parked in one of my reserved parking places, getting out I looked to my left and sighed. I calmly walked to the passenger side and took Bella out. With her in my arms once more I opened the door, thanking the heavens that I was on the first floor.

Standing in the middle of the living room, I had a battle in my head of deciding where to let her lay. The couch or the bed. I went with the latter, and put her under the Egyptian cotton sheets.

\\\

**Bella's POV**

I awoke suddenly in a overly comfortable bed. Panic arose inside the pit of my stomach as I took the scenery in. For one, I know for a fact that this is not my bedroom, the walls here are painted a lifeless pearl white color as well as there's absolutely nothing here, without the exception of a small dresser and gigantic bed. I don't see why, the bedroom is bigger than mine plus my kitchen put together.

The comforter is a pale green color and I'm pretty sure the sheets are Egyptian cotton. Not wanting to get the expensive sheets even more dirtier than I could now, I stepped out of the bed; the coolness of the cherry hardwood floor sending shivers up from my feet to the tip of my head. It was dark in the room as it took me a while to find the door, the silk like texture of the doorknob felt nice against my already clammy hand.

The hallway was the exact same color as the bedroom, as I followed the faint light I was greeted with a sense of change. Unlike the boring bedroom, the living room was completely different. The color of the walls changed to a nice easy feeling of an antique yellow, the room was gigantic and it felt like I could breathe. One wall at the far left corner had built in shelves with family photos that were all happy and smiling widely, books that could last anyone for a life time, and the occasional knickknack. I turned around, the red and golden Oriental rug keeping me from falling on the hardwood floor, and saw more photographs.

The one that caught my eye was a wooden frame photo of a woman in her mid-twenties. She was standing next to what looked like a white marble column statue, a blue and yellow color vase sat on top of the statue alongside an elegant bouquet of calla, white, and yellow lilies. The picture was obviously taken in the mist of summer time, the high yellow sun bounced off this person's pale skin like a ray of diamonds. The green grass was high, covering her ankles up, the big baby blue sky made her auburn eyes shine. Her posture was the definition of correctness, her smile was genuinely happy; showing her perfect two rows of pearly whites. There was no make-up in sight, only naturally beauty. Her red, above the knee, summer dress blew in the nonexistent wind. The way her hair was fixed in classy brown ringlets, her bangs parted to the left side of her round face. She was gorgeous. The only thing that could take away this mysterious woman's beauty was the fact that her alluring, bulky diamond engagement ring adored her left hand ring finger.

I heard someone clear their throat, I anxiously turned and was taken-a-back when I saw the Greek God, a.k.a Edward Cullen, behind me. He was wearing his pajamas, and even though he wasn't shirtless and wearing his boxers, but what he was wearing was even more seductive than that. The way that his red and black flannel pants hung on his hips was pure torture, his black shirt revealed a hint of muscle in the bicep triceps area and I'm pretty sure in the pectoral muscle and abdominal area as well. I looked in his jade green eyes and there was this glint that reflected an unknown emotion. Suddenly, I felt a twinge of jealously raising in my torso.

This scenairo caused me to have deju vu. Instead of Edward's living room we were back in the lab, instead of the woman in the picture that I was staring at turned into a murder victim's stomach contents. Anger replaced the jealous feeling.

"Instead of threating that you'll call security on me for giving you evidence you'll now threaten me that you'll call the cops on me for 'breaking and entering,' will that give you even more satisfaction than before?" I seethed at him.

I saw my bag sitting on the black leather couch, I grabbed it not caring that I tripped on the rug, and just like before I held my head up high with a new strategy of slamming the front door.

Six years ago I wouldn't have the nerves to back talk, slam the door, and most importantly leave.

x\x\x\x\x

I finally got to the Lab after I had the morning from Hell.

Not only over the fact that I had slept over at Edward's from some unknown reason and against my will, but I stayed on the subway for about an hour in my old crusty work clothes from yesterday, the little make-up that I had put on was completely smeared off leaving me with a possible chance of having acne but my mascara made me have raccoon eyes. The man I was sitting by smelt like he hasn't showered in months and reeked of alcohol vomited on my black flats. Needless to say, it's not even 10:30 a.m. yet and I'm already crying internally.

I walked in the lounge and got a freshly cup of coffee, the scolding hot drink burnt my mouth along with my throat however the pain never felt so good. I was about to get my second cup when the door thrusts open, Tanya Denali sauntered in.

I looked up at the clock on the wall, 10:30 on the dot. I shook my head hoping she wouldn't acknowledge me and get whatever she needed. "Bella," her fake nose snide at my direction. It's official, I hate life.

I smiled at her, grabbing my cup of coffee and got out of there as quickly as humanly possible, yet since life hates me as well, Tanya beat me to the door and locked it.

She narrowed her make up cladded eyes at me with her red lipstick lips perched in a straight line, "Wow, Tanya, are you wearing less makeup than you usually do?" I remarked at her.

"Shut it Swan, the case you're working on is rightfully mine. You go tell Tyler that you quit the case and I won't hurt you," she said in a bored tone.

"How about no and you step away from me or I won't throw your Luis Vuitton purse in a tub of Hydrochloric acid." I mimicked her tone.

We were having a stare down when a knock at the door interrupted our child play, "Bella?" Emmett called out, "Are you in there? There has been another murder."

"Yeah, be right out," I yelled out.

"Now, Tanya, will you ever so kindly move out of my way?" I gave her the sweetest smile I could muster, she reluctantly moved when Emmett pounded on the door once again.

\\

The crime scene was different than the last two, instead behind a book store in an alley way, the body was reported in front of New York Public Library. Emmett drove in record speed to the scene, behind the 'DO NOT CROSS' tape was a crowd of people, along with news reporters; there were multiple police officers directing the people from not coming across the yellow tape, there were many trying to sneak a peek to evolve their morbid curiosity of course as well.

Alice was taking the temperature to see how long they have been dead when I notice something off, like a bad feeling that someone was staring at me. I slightly moved my head to the right to see if I could conform my suspicion but to my surprise there was no one looking dead right at me.

"Hello, Bella, I haven't found a note just quite yet," Alice said, looking up to see that Emmett had migrated over.

"Alice, how long has she been dead?" he asked, a mask of professionalism strikes his features.

"Well, it has been more than three hours," she said, "her eyes have already produced the film texture," the thermometer beeped interrupted her, "80.7 degrees Fahrenheit, it's been at least 12 hours," she stated.

Emmett nodded leaving his previous spot to go talk to other police officers.

"Why is she wearing winter clothes in the middle of spring?" I asked.

"Maybe she was hiding something or the killer changed her clothes."

The uneasy feeling I had before returned, I slowly looked up, and saw that most of the people that were there had left, a few stayed for some unknown reason. One of them had caught my eye, he was clean cut with a tall figure. He wore a three piece suit with a velvet tie, he was sophisticated, nothing out of place; not even a hair. He eyed me, and gave me a warm smile; showing me his glowing white teeth. His vibrant blue eyes twinkled which caused me to blush. I looked down quickly to return back to my task when I felt his eyes never leaving me, for a moment I looked up and his nose crinkled at me. Turning around, he threw me a wink over his shoulder.

"Bella, if you stop staring at the pedestrians could you please listen to what I'm saying?" Alice smirked at me.

"Sorry, you were saying?"

"I removed the scarf and look," she said pointing to the body. The head was cut off and clearly sewn onto a different body. "Same goes with the other limbs as well," she said again.

"But, if this is the same killer then where is the note?" I asked.

"Probably somewhere inside the body," she said.

\\

Alice had called me that she had found the note, I called Jasper to come with me and the two of us was headed down to the morgue.

"Bella, glad you could make i- Jasper!" Alice shrieked.

"Alice," Jasper nodded, "Please don't let me distract you," he said with a wink.

"I'm listening to what you're saying, Alice." I told her, just like our previous encounter.

"Right, so, the note" she held it to us in an evidence bag, "it was in the skull cavity mind you not, the brain was missing. The other body parts are not hers, every limb belongs to some different female. The killer was very meticulous of sewing the limbs on, they were very careful when they did so."

Alice handed us the evidence bag and went back to work on the body.

\\

Back in Jasper's office we read the quote, "_Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely_." She sat with such grace, her long bare legs crossed a black stiletto heel rotating clockwise.

"The killer moved from literature to poetry?" Rosalie asked, while taking a seat on Jasper's chair.

"Hello," she kindly introduced "I'm Rosalie Hale, attorney at law." her lips stained with blood red lipstick, unlike Tanya, Rosalie could pull it off without a doubt.

"I'm Isabella Swan, but please call me Bella," I said to her as well, we shook hands.

"So, the killer changed his M.O.?" She asked again.

"I'm not quite sure, the crime scene was in front of the Public Library not at some kind of random book store. Besides that and the change of quote that's it."

"I don't know if this helps, but when I was helping Alice, I felt someone staring at me and it sort of gave off that creepy vibe," I said to both Jasper and Rosalie.

"Did you get a glimpse of him?" Rosalie asked me.

"No, I didn't. But on another occasion, I felt the feeling again, so I looked up and saw some guy staring straight at me."

"Can you give me a description of him?" Rosalie asked me once more.

"He looked like any curious guy that has never seen a dead body that's not a television show and every other business man in Brooklyn alone." I said.

Rosalie nodded, while Jasper picked the note up once more, I glimpsed at the paper and the reflecting of the light hit the paper at the right angle and you could tell that there was some sort of writing.

"Jasper!" I shouted, startling both him and Rosalie, "The paper it has something on it!"

We headed up to Angela Webber's lab to figure out the writing, "Angela," Jasper said, "we need you to figure out what the writing is on the note."

She nodded her head and grabbed the piece of paper, she put it on a scanner, "If I contradict the black ink I could see the writing," she said.

All four of us looked up on the screen next to the scanner, **Happy Endings 8 o'clock p.m. 3/24/13**, it read.

Rosalie called Emmett to come down to Angela's lab quickly saying that we found something important. "What is it?" Emmett stated, breathing quickly.

"On the last note Bella found the writing that led us to this," Rosalie said, pointing to the screen.

Emmett read the information, his blue eyes lighting up, "Good work, Morticia!" Emmett congratulated me, "We can't go in there dressed in uniform," Rosalie stated, "we need to go undercover."

"Why is that?" Emmett asked, quirking an eyebrow in her general direction.

"It'll be too obvious, if police are there in uniform 'having a drink' then the killer might catch on, leave, and he'll see that we are on to him and he could do one of two things: stop the killings then when we are least suspect it he'll start again or worse, he could start killing one after another." Jasper said shaking his head.

"I'll go undercover," I said volunteering.

"No," the three of them said in unison.

"You can't Bella, it'll be too dangerous," Emmett said.

"Yeah I can, Emmett, I've been here for two and a half years doing nothing. This is my first case and I'm actually putting my degree that I study along with working hard to achieve. I'm not going to sit back and watch others do my job, I'm putting my foot down and I'm doing this whether any of you like it or not." I argued with them.

Emmett sighed, "Fine, but we're doing it by my rules and I'm sending Cullen with you. No ifs ands or buts."

When Emmett mention that I would be working with Edward my stomach did somersaults. My face dropped just a millisecond before anyone noticed and I swallowed my pride. "I think Edward will agree on this," Rosalie told me.

"Great, it's all settled. Bella meet me in my office at exactly 5, the three of us will talk plan and get down to business." Emmett said.

I nodded, working with a person who hates me for whatever reason won't be too hard. Maybe Emmett could catch on and make us have a fight in the bar and he can leave or something. It can't be that hard to be friends with an enemy for whatever reason.

\x\x\x\x\x\

I walked into my office to do some paper work when I spotted my cell phone on the floor next to my wooden desk. The memories that I had from last night came flooding in. My head started to hurt, I sighed and went to get an ibuprofen. I open the drawer getting the tiny white bottle out. I opened the bottle and there were no red pills in the bottle, except a note, "_Dearest sunshine,_  
_There isn't enough amount of pain pills to get rid of the pain that he and I will cause you_."

I could feel my breathing pick up while my hands started to shake uncontrollably that I dropped the pill bottle onto the floor. My head stung over the pain of the headache along with my body reacting to this. Tears threaten to break loose, I accidentally released a sob.

"Bella?" A voice called out.

It was Alice.

"Bella! Are you okay?" She asked again coming in my office.

She jogged over to me, placing her tiny arms around me, hugging me, letting me cry into her pretty white blouse; staining it with my disgusting tears. I hated myself right now then ever before.

She held me through the sobs, tears, and my ratchet breathing. She caressed my back and soothed me by telling me it'll be okay. Her hand going up and down my back with her rocking me in place.

It went on for ten minutes.

My breathing finally returned back to normal, my eyes sore from the tears, my nose was running and I sniffled. "Here," Alice said. She got a tissue and wiped my face off with the excessive make-up. She gave me two more so that I could blow my nose as well.

"Are you okay?" She asked again.

I nodded, looking down and seeing the pill bottle. I quickly picked it up, and threw it in my drawer. She didn't pressure me into talking just giving me a small smile.

After a moment of silence, she broke it, "I came up here to tell you that Angela found a match over the first body, she's still working on the third one but it turns out that the first victim was Lauren Steel, she was a college student living with her parents." Alice told me.

"They're going to be showing it on the news and I figured you would want to know before you got it from the media." Alice said smiling at me.

I turned the T.V. on to the local news and we sat there watching to see what they had to say,

"_Two days ago a body was found behind the book store, BooksGalore, in central New York City. Agent McCarty had released the information that the deceased is Lauren Steel from Brooklyn, if you have any information please call Johnny Crossing Crime Lab_." The news anchor said.

"I hope this clue could lead us to the killer before he strikes again," Alice said.

When she said that, it reminded me that I needed to see Emmett in ten minutes, "Yeah, Edward and I are going undercover," I told her.

"Oh believe me, I've heard." she said, smiling sheepishly.

I didn't know Alice very well, but what I could gather from that moment she had something up her sleeve.

x\x\x\x\x

**(A/N: There'll be a second part to this chapter and I will try to update as soon as possible! Thank you once again as well!)**


	5. Chapter 4

**Have your umbrellas handy for some 100 per cent chance of Grouchyward. Read on!**

**I don't own, plot is mine. **

**Chapter Four:**

10 minutes till 5 I walked into Emmett's office, "Morticia!" He exclaimed loudly, causing Edward to turn around in his chair, he offered me a small smile and I kind of felt bad for not returning the gesture. If the two of us is going to work together, then I guess I should be friendly towards him, seeing as he's doing the same.

"I called in some reinforcements to help you two dress the part, then once they are complete with the total rendition of the makeover we'll discuss our plan and hope to catch our suspect." Emmett told the two of us.

"Why do we need a make over?" Edward asked Emmett.

"Well, my dear toxicologist Edward Cullen," Emmett said in a voice suitable for five year olds, "It's a precaution if the killer knows what you and Bella look at or your identities," he finished like it was simple math.

"Alice will help you two," he said once more, "When you two are getting ready I'll be here making the plan." Edward and I nodded, agreeing with whatever Emmett has to say.

"Now let's put our hands in, and on three shout 'Go Team McCarty!' One, two three!" He exclaimed.

Edward shook his head leaving while I sat there silently laughing at Emmett.

"Ah, whatever Eddie, don't say that I didn't warn you of how I would get you back, and tonight is the night for that chance," Emmett finished his sentence, Edward paused at the entryway, his once perfect posture slightly dismiss his body, only for a second though. After that moment of silence he left the floor.

"What was that about?" I asked Emmett.

He sighed, his once kidding gesture turned his facial features into guilt. "Edward was once-"

Alice came in interrupting Emmett, "Do not tell Edward's story without his consent," she scolded Emmett. "It's not right," she chided again.

A throat cleared behind us, the three of us suddenly turned around trying to identify who was there. Edward came back into Emmett's office with two bottle waters. He handed one to me giving me a small smile; I gladly returned the gesture, hoping that we were now on a friendship level.

An awkward silence was held between the four of us when Alice decided it was time to stop acting like babies and get down to work. "Come to the morgue, we can do the changing there then you two can come back down, Emmett it'll be a hour I swear."

\\

The material of the dress's sleeves were made out of lace with some type of flower design made out of the black left overs of the dress. The body of the dress was black as well, along with it feeling nice along my curves, giving away each indention of my hips, it also had a sweetheart neckline that didn't give away that much cleavage; however, it was not in fact too innocent per se. The same flower pattern from the sleeves were to on the dress. When I put the beautiful fabric on, it came just above my pale knees. It was a masterpiece and made me feel beautiful along with being comfortable in my own skin better as well.

The shoes that Alice had lent me were black as well, I specifically demanded her that I felt uneasy wearing six inch high heels. I'm quite surprise that she gave in to that demand and produced around a three inch pair of heels. The design reminded me of Mary Janes with the buckle and strap also with the sleek black color that was so shiny I could see my reflection.

For about a minute or two Alice and I had a brief argument of wearing make up, Alice's choice, or not if I should not wear makeup going for the natural look, my choice. Needless to say, Alice had got her way. She promised me that she wouldn't cake my face with pounds and pounds of it but to give off that vibe that I can snap your neck if I need to. The black eyeliner corresponded with my boring brown eyes and somehow made them pop. The eye shadow was a blunt gray mixed with a hint of glitter, Alice gave me that smoky eye look, along with that she used some mascara, making my eye lashes longer, thicker, and blacker than usual. For my lips she used blood red lipstick and for a moment I thought to myself that Rosalie Hale isn't the only person who can pull the red stain lips off.

With Alice was finishing my makeup Edward wondered inside the room in his black -iron to the perfect degree- slacks and a white button up shirt. He had his shirt tucked in his slacks, and the top two buttons were open revealing a hint of chest hair. Forgetting for the moment of time that I had lipstick on I bit my lip to suppress the moan that I could feel bubbling up from inside. "Bella!" Alice screamed at me, "Stop what you're doing at this instant!" Edward glanced up from buttoning his cuffs to see my face turning red. Good thing Alice didn't use blush, because I'm pretty sure I'll have this color on me for the rest of the night.

I could see Edward's eyes travel down my body, the look that was on his face made it look even more gorgeous than before. The emotion that he gave me when he looked up was a dead give away, his bronze eyebrows knitted together his jade eyes turning black as the night sky. He took a sharp breath in then turned around and proceed to leave.

The confidence I had now lower by the second. The blush hadn't left, in fact I could feel my face get hotter by the minute, "Don't worry about him." Alice softly said upon me. I shrugged, pretending to not know what she was talking about. We both knew that was a lie.

As Alice was doing my hair thoughts had plagued my brain. Thoughts about Edward. Thoughts of how one day he hated me then the next day of how he helped me. Thoughts about his story that Emmett casually brought up and how Alice quickly changed the subject. Thoughts of the mysterious woman in the picture. Thoughts of why he hates my guts and what I've done to him. "Bella, if you don't stop overthinking then you'll get worry lines." Alice said, bringing me out of my head.

"Alice," I sighed, "why does he hate me?"

"He doesn't hate you Bella..he's just," she paused to find the right word, "confused." she finished.

"I would be too if I started to hate on a person they even haven't encounter on!" I replied back.

"Just don't worry. Believe me, he needs to stop acting like a girl whose experiencing PMS for the first time." Alice said.

I laughed which in turn caused Alice to laugh.

Alice quickly got done with my hair and I have no idea how she did it but she made it have style. My once lifeless straight brown hair had magically turned into a soulful wavy style. My bangs were parted to the left, straight as a board, sweeping in my eye. The wavy curls went pass my shoulders and fell to the top of my breasts.

To top off my outfit Alice handed me a golden interlocking chain with a medium size heart locket. The heart charm was golden as well, but unlike the chain it had a silver border and a big diamond in the middle. "I can't accept this, Alice," I told her, shaking my head no.

"Yeah you can Bella, not only does it top off your outfit but it also has a camera in the diamond part. And besides, it's costume jewelry not like you'll break it." She said putting the necklace around my neck. The coldness of the chain along with the heart broke my skin out into tiny billions of Goosebumps. I looked in the mirror, with my hand touching the necklace, for once in my entire life I felt beautiful and powerful. It felt like from that moment on something clicked inside my brain and I could dominate anything. Not even Edward's moodiness could spoil my triumphant mood.

I looked up at the wall clock and saw that it was almost 6 o'clock, "Alice I better start heading back," I told her getting up from the chair.

"Here," she grabbed a cherry red long coat, "It may be spring but it's still quite cold out," she gave me the coat and I was instantly grateful for everything she had done.

Even though we just met over a span of two days, I felt Alice and I had this special bond of friendship. I welcomed this, I didn't have many friends back home that I could be close to nor did I have any friends here. Alice changed my perspective whether she knows it or not. "Alice, thank you so much for your gratitude and being a wonderful person towards me," I honestly told her.

"You can count on me Bella, don't cry you'll mess your make up either." She said smiling.

\\

I shortly arrived at Emmett's office, the red coat in hand, and the butterflies that was present in my stomach. Before I even touched the fake gold doorknob I tried to calm my nerves. I took a deep breath and enter the room.

"Morticia, you looking good!" Emmett's loud voice boomed out.

"This old thing," I said fingering the hem of my dress, I noticed that Edward was next to me sitting in the chair that was directly across from Emmett's desk. His breathing was sort of staggering but I brushed it off, trying to turn myself into business mode.

Emmett stood up and walked over to where a miniature white board was sitting on a stand. He twisted the black marker cap off and wrote, 'Bar Plan', "Okay first thing first, I know that you two don't get along but please for this case sakes get along well enough to fool the killer then you two can go back to hating each other." He said eyeing Edward.

"What do you ever so mean," I sarcastically said, punching Edward in the arm, "We're as friends as best friends get!"

"Okay," Emmett's eyebrows were raised for a brief moment, "Anyways back to the plan; just in case the killer is outside waiting for someone, Edward you drop Bella off maybe a block or two from the bar then Edward you go park your car. If you arrive at the door simultaneously then Edward be a kind gentleman and hold the door out for the lady. Whatever you do don't act suspicious. If you two don't arrive at the door simultaneously then Bella if you arrive first go inside and set at the bar, order a drink or something to eat, just don't set there and do nothing, maybe look around your shoulder or casually make conversation with the bartender; but don't feel obligated to do so. Edward if you arrive first then you go sit at a table of some sort, flirt with the waitress if you want, just try to keep your distance from Bella, and that goes to you too Bella." Emmett said.

"If you don't see anything suspicious from an hour or two then leave and come back to the lab," he continued on, "From what Alice told me, Bella you have a camera in your necklace which could be great for us, and Edward your watch has one as well. I'm counting on you two, try not to rip each others throats out."

Edward turned to me, his jade eyes smoldering into my brown ones and he nodded, "Now," Emmett said looking at his watch, "You two better start to get going it's just now 7. Edward I trust you know the directions well?"

Edward nodded again.

Both Edward and I got up from our chairs, I guess getting into the character early, Edward took my read pea coat and helped me putting it on. I button the two large silver buttons and watched as Edward put on his black hoodie.

Our outfits were polar opposites, while mine being the elegant cocktail party style his was the casual I-just-got-up look. His dark wash denim jeans hugged his legs perfectly, they weren't tight but not overly too loose. His shirt had lifted up just a tad and I could see a silver of hair that traveled from his navel down. I could feel Edward's eyes on mine but I refused to make eye contact or even acknowledge the fact that I was checking him out.

He opened the door for me and I waited for him by the elevator, the silence wasn't awkward but it wasn't as comfortable either. He pressed the arrow to indicate that we were going down, the elevators doors dinged, opening them up for us to get the show on the road.

\\

Like the gentleman he pretend to be he opened his Volvo's passenger door for me. He turned the heat on medium for me and he even turned the radio on for me. He made it into background music, as I was looking through the passenger window into the darkness I heard a familiar voice fill the car.

"May I?" I gestured to the volume button.

He nodded and I gladly turned the song up. Stevie Nicks filled the car with the beginning of the chorus of her song Leather and Lace

"Lovers forever, face to face

My city or mountains stay with me, stay

I need you to love me

I need you today

Give to me your leather

Take from me, my lace"

I hummed the chorus part to myself day dreaming when Edward took me out of my fantasy land. "You like Stevie Nicks?" He warily asked.

"Like? Don't you mean love." I looked at him with wide eyes.

A smile broke from the corners of his mouth, the song finished when I reached over to turn off the radio, he did too. Our fingers only touch for a millisecond before he reached his hand back and placed it on the steering wheel at 10 and 2. I gasped at the contact, the electricity that I felt made me shiver. "Are you cold?" He asked. Not being able to speak, I merely shook my head no. He held on the leather wheel so tight that his knuckles were turning white. The smile that was slowly producing vanished into thin air.

"You know, it takes 43 muscles to frown and only 17 to smile." I told him matter-of-factly.

He still looked forward but I could see his stiffness from his body began to reduce.

"When I was in kindergarten the teacher gave us a snack which was popcorn, anyways on my napkin I saw a kernel and I stuck it in my ear." I said smiling at the memory.

Edward turned and gave me a glance, a small smile playing on his lips.

"When I was a teenager I dyed my hair blonde because I thought if I did that I would automatically turn into Stevie Nicks." I said.

Edward burst into fits of laughter and it was the most magical, heavenly sound I have heard. Well, next to his voice, but his laughter was a close second.

"Laughter is the best medicine." I told him, smiling as well.

We made friendly conversation for the next 10 minutes, silence took over again as I thought of the day I had woke up from Edward's house.

"Edward, I wanted to apologize for the way I acted at your house," I told him sincerely, "But why was I at your house?" I questioned him.

"I saw you crying in your office on the floor and I didn't want to leave you there by yourself or would want you to go home in the condition you were in so I took you to my house."

The memory of the message I got from the stranger sent through my brain. It shocked me, I thought he hated me, "When I hate people I usually don't help them out," I bluntly said.

He snorted at my comment, "I don't hate you Bella," he quietly said.

That shocked me as well, confused I asked him, "Then why did you threaten to call security on me and wouldn't accept my apology from accidentally walking into you? As well as knowing that I moved up in my career and knew what I did?"

"Because you remind me of my ex-fiancée."

Then it clicked, the huge picture that was in his living room. "The woman in the picture?" I asked.

He nodded, "Her name was Elizabeth and she was taken away from me." he said.

"Ed-"

"Bella, listen," he said stopping his car to a complete stop, "I know the way that I treated you wasn't right nor fair to you and I'm sorry that I may have hurt your feelings by saying the things I said on your career. But, Elizabeth was my whole entire world. I lived for her and sometimes to this day, I still do. We were to be wed two weeks from the day she was killed. A drunk hit her. It was a hit and run. He was so careless and he took my world away. I got a call when I was at work, in fact I remember that I was going to turn my two weeks notice in when I received the haunting news. Elizabeth and I were going to move from the big city and go to a small one, we would have the perfect life with a couple of kids and the white picket fence along with that we were going to grow old together." He paused, his nose stifling.

"Some pedestrian saw her laying on the street, they called an ambulance but it was too late. The EMT says that her neck and vertebrae were cracked in three different places. She died instantly, and the worst part was that she was on her way to come see me."

"I became miserable, to the point were I turned everything and everyone around me to my sulking feeling. No one wanted to be around me because I didn't accept the fact that she was dead and won't be coming back. But Bella, I can't comprehend what I feel when I see your beautiful face. Your deep, dark chocolate, innocent eyes get to me; especially to the deepest darkest places of my inner being, and I can't get them out of my head. Every single day and night I see you from the time I wake up to the time my head hits my pillow. This feeling is so strong and it scars me. I don't want to loose you, Bella." He confess to me, tears willing up in his eyes. "I want to take care of you, better than I did with Elizabeth."

"Edward," I softly said, "I- I um I can't be in a relationship right now, my career is finally taking off and I can't let anything ruin it," I said trying to pick my words correctly, "But, we can be friends and see what happens? If it was meant to be then so be however if it's not then it's not." I finished.

Edward just gave me a curt nod, I sighed, "I'm not necessarily saying no but I'm not quite saying yes."

"I got it Bella." He said, "We're two blocks away from the bar, you better go." He said, unlocking the automatic locks. "See you later." he said, practically kicking me out.

I stumbled out of the car and walked up to the sidewalk, while Edward got out of there like a bat out of hell. Feeling sorry for myself, I started to walk north towards the bar.

I didn't move across the country just to see if I could find an attractive man just for him to set his hooks in my heart and then shortly become my worst nightmare. I moved across the country to get away along with starting over. I moved to start my career, not only did that take me two and half years plus a psycho control freak to threaten me to get on this case.

Of course there was something about Edward that was appealing yet the way he acted when he didn't get his way was unappealing to me. The man in Seattle, the man who I thought I loved with all my being was just as appealing as Edward yet when he became mad he didn't just sit there, he became physical, emotional, and mentally abusive.

I sighed, kicking at a tiny pebble on the cement sidewalk. Everything was going fine and sort of dandy when Edward had to open his big mouth about his past. I didn't care, all I cared about was why he hated me.

'You looked like her,' his words went through my mind. 'I want to take care of you,' he eyes were on the verge of tears.

He looked so vulnerable right then and there, maybe he didn't need to take care of someone but the other way around. I just don't know if I'm the right person for that.

The bright neon lights brought me out of my war in my thoughts. It was classy, the tiny cutout hole in the wall was packed full. The long glass doors were slightly ajar, probably getting some of this New York chilly spring air to the sweaty people. I didn't see Edward anywhere, but I did however see his Volvo parked between an SUV and some kind of sports car. He wasn't in the car as I couldn't recall of seeing any outline of himself. I pushed open the door and a bell that was set above the door jingled to announce my arrival. The music was a bit loud as the visitors of the bar were packed around each other talking loudly, so thankfully no one saw me.

As Emmett instructed, I tried to walk to the bar, but the amount of crowded people from the entrance to the bar was unbelievable. A few minutes of poking my way about, I finally got to a barstool. I hopped on the tall, slender, red cushion seat. The bartender that came to me was a tall Native American with long black hair that was tied up into a low ponytail. He smiled up at me, his teeth were the perfect shade of glistening white, like he should be on a toothpaste commercial. He put a napkin down next to my elbow, "Hello! What could I get you?" He yelled towards me, so that he could hear me properly I lean in towards him, "Just a coke." He nodded his hand and went to go get my order.

\\

Looking around the bar I could see many different types of people, from old to young. The music they played wasn't the kind of music they played in other bars or clubs, but they had a live band there. The bartender handed me my coke and I took a drink out of the straw.

I bobbed my head to the beat of the melody that the band was playing when a man in his mid thirties came up to me. "Fancy meeting you here." he acknowledge me.

Confused, I nodded my head and gave him a tight smile. "Crime scene girl," he said to me again.

The light bulb went off, from the previous crime scene he was the one of the innocent bystanders looking at the body and to see what was going on from a distance as well as the person I could feel his eyes on me the entire time. He looked different, instead of baby blue eyes he had murky watery eyes, he still wore a three piece suit but he seemed shorter than before as well. His thin hair was now cut shorter than before and was dyed brown.

"You don't look like the guy from the crime scene," I questioned him.

"Probably the lighting then," he quickly said.

"What are the chances of meeting here?" He asked me, sitting down next to the empty bar stool.

"Slim to none?" I questioned.

"Ha!" He laughed then order another glass of whiskey.

"You look extraordinary beautiful right now, as much as you did when you were analyzing that body." he said, sipping out the golden liquid from the glass.

"Thanks," I awkwardly said.

For a moment there were silence between us he was the first to break it, "So, do you have any leads in the case?" He inquired.

"I'm not really allowed to say."

"Oh, but I can keep a secret, cross my heart and hope to die," he said, doing the scouts honor.

"As much as I trust you, and believe me I do, but I still can't say anything." I told him again.

"I believe Ernest Hemingway said, 'The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them'." He said, with a small smirk playing on his lips.

A quote. He said a quote of an author who wrote some type of literature. I could feel my eyes getting bigger by the second. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out.

People says quotes all the time, right? No big deal besides of the fact that he asked me about information about the case as long as was actually there yet not because I believe he's not who he says he is along with the literature quote. Jesus.

He put his medium size hand on top of my hand, he gave it a tight squeeze. I looked up at him in his eyes, a glint appeared then automatically disappeared. He smiled up at me, his cheekbones raising up as he did so.

The band that was on the stage began to play a different song, I sort of recognized the lyrics, while the man next to me and his hand still on mine I decided fairly quickly that I will play along to see if I could get some information out of him. Just in case.

"So, one who quotes authors, what is your name?" I asked him, giving him my best smile and fluttering my eyelashes as well.

"Alec Volturi and yours?"

"Isabella Swan."

"Well, Miss. Isabella Swan, it is my great pleasure to be acquainted to you." he said sipping from his drink once again.

A new song had started up again, the lead singers low voice broke through the air with an eerily feeling, "Isabella will you dance with me?" Alec asked me.

"I can't dance," I confessed to him, sucking my lower lip into my mouth.

" 'Dancing is a vertical expression of a horizontal desire.' Robert Frost had said that," he quoted again.

I made a mental note to ask Emmett to run Alec Volturi through the system because I am pretty sure no one makes this many references as well as quote literary work.

"Well, with that very philosophical thought how could I deny you?" I told him.

He slid off his seat and I did the same, he stood beside me and put his hand on my lower back to guide me through the throngs of people.

We found an open spot on the dance floor and he put his hands on the shape of my hips, I instinctively put my arms around his head. He chose the right speed for us to sway to the music. We were close together but his touch on my skin didn't feel right. It didn't give me the electric feeling of the moment when Edward and I had touched.

I moved my hands from behind his neck down his black suit jacket, I rested my head on his shoulder and he bent down to whisper something in my ear; "Isabella," he kissed the top of my head, "I believe you are the most exquisite creature there is on this dull planet. You are like the lone flower in an apocalyptical world. You are innocent I can tell in your doe-like eyes." He told me, the song stopped but we kept on swaying; his grip on me tighten to the point where I am positive that his fingertips will leave bruises.

I tried to wiggle my way out of the tight space and grip and like magic the sea of people engulfed us. I felt his grip loosen, he pulled me back in arm length, "Isabella," he mouthed, I could barely hear him, "I'll see you soon," he pulled me back to his body and kissed my flushed cheek. Then he was gone.

\\

After that experience I made my way back to the bar, when I saw Edward was there sitting staring at the people around him.

"Hey," I let out a breath as I took a place next to him.

He didn't say anything he just tipped his glass at me.

"Anyways, I think I found a possible suspect," I told him.

"The one that you were all up in his business?" He snapped.

"Matter of fact it was the guy before him," I said sarcastically, he turned to me looking disgusted with me.

"I was kidding Edward, yeah the one I was all up on,"

"Great."

I snapped, I lean into him, whispering deadly into his ear, "You may not care about the world you live in along with working on a case that involves the murder over innocent women and is grouchy all the time good go ahead I don't care. But you will, and I mean this in the most sincere way possible, never give me that look of off putting ever again. I don't care if you hate me for looking like your dead fiancée. I'm sorry that my genes ruined a possible friendship. But I am not sorry of what I said to you about a relationship right now. And you must respect that or there'll be no friendship or relationship or any kind of ship if you continue acting like a big bratty baby. I'll be outside waiting next to the car." I walked away from his stun expression feeling confident with myself that I may have swayed my hips while walking to the door.

I could feel Edward behind me grumbling some sort of nonsense, "Wait, Bella," he yelled out to me.

I pretended not to hear and kept on walking. His longer legs were quicker than mine and caught up to me within seconds. He grabbed my wrist, tears started to build up behind my eyes, "What Edward?" I yelled at him again.

He looked at me, his vibrant green eyes turned darker than before; almost resembling black, his lips then suddenly crashed onto mine. I just stood there in shock, my arms staying beside my sides while I let Edward kiss me.

His lips were molded into mine, they fit perfectly together like he was the missing puzzle piece that I was looking for. At first it was hard but then it gradually became gentle and slow. My hands gradually rose up from my sides to the back of his neck; pulling him closer to me. His tongue caressed my bottom lip, I gladly gave him access by opening my mouth a little wider than before. His tongue slipped into my mouth, his alcohol warm breath filled me inside. I have never felt so completed before.

Our tongues battled for dominance, his tongue over powered mine as well as taking my body with him. I moaned in his mouth and that caused him to put his hands on my lower body. The electricity flowed freely between us easily as it could. Edward slipped my lower lip into his mouth and gently sucked on it, letting it out of his mouth with a pop he nibbled on it as well.

The kiss lasted for a few more seconds, both of us not wanting to stop but needing to catch our breath. He put his forehead on mine and looked me straight in the eyes, our breathing was a lot more quicker than before.

We looked at each other for what it seemed hours but was only a few minutes, "I've been wanting to do that since the moment I saw you," he confessed.

"I'm glad you did." I told him, honestly.

We were having a nice moment of just looking into each others eyes and smiling when all of a sudden my phone had broke it with the loud shriek of dinging.

I sighed, digging it out of my purse, _Emmett_, the caller ID read.

"Yes?" I said into the receiver.

"Bella, there's another body," Emmett said frantically.

The line went dead and I soon realize that the night that almost suddenly begin with Edward was coming to an end.

"We need to go back to the lab," I told him, walking to the passenger door, "There's been another murder," I said.

He unlocked the door and ever so kindly open my door for me as well. As he walked around the car, I looked through the window next to me. Something caught my eye, a dark, tall, shadow over casted the alley way next to the bar. It made me grew suspicious of it but it disappeared when Edward started the car and headed back to the lab.

x\x\x\x\x\x


End file.
